The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-09-26
THE SAMOA WAR +!
.MalietOa, the DepoSed King.
THE RIVAL KINGS OF SAMOA.

Malietoa is q chief Of the highest
caste in Samoa. The name signifies
"great warrior" and its present
bearer is the descendant in direct
line from the ancient chief who first
obtained the high and honorable
title fer his bravery in wars against
the Tongans. He is still a COM
paratively young man, but the
"cares of State" have been many
and have left their marks upon his
forehead, and his features wear a
habitual expression of anxious de-
liberation. He was recognised as
King of Samoa by England, Ger
many, and the United States, and
so far as is known, is still entitled
to be looked upon in that capacity.
His rival, Tamasese, who has been
proclaimed King by the German
Commodore, Is not of such high
caste, though, like Malietoa, he was
a chief of standing and authority.
By recent advices, the Germans had
succeeded in bringing forward a
third claimant to Samoan sovereign
ty, but his claims appear to have
been dropped,
These three "Kings," so-called,
no doubt represent the three dis
tricts into which the Island of Upolu
used to be dived, each having its
chief with the title of "Tui." Ma
lietoa was ruler of the central part
of the island, Tuamasaga, in which
the town and port Of Apia is located,
and nearly the whole Of the Euro
pean population being in his terri
tory caused him to be looked upon
as of superior authority. In point
of fact, however, his native follow
ing has always been in the minority.
The result of foreign interference
in Samoa was the creation of a
liking" with supposed jurisdiction
over all the islands, but Malietoa's
authority was not recognised out
side of Upolu, and even in that
island his party was styled "rebels"
by those who adhered to the an
cient Samoan form of government
the federal rule of the chiefs, as adj
ministered by the two legislative
bodies called the Taimua and Fai-
pule. The idea of king is foreign
to Samoan ideas-the natives being
strictly republican in their views,
and the title of chiefs not being
hereditary, but being bestowed by
election of the governing body.
Tamasese claims to be the real
owner of the land at Mulinuu Point,
where King Malietoa had establish
ed the seat of his government. A
portion of this land had been &C
quired by an American named Coe,
who sold to the German Plantation
Company, and the latter erected a
flagstaff upon it, and hoisted the
Imperial German flag. This flag
was continual annoyance to the
Malietoa party, and had latterly
been removed by force-the flag of
Samoa under that of the United
States being affixed in its stead.
The following is from the Christ
church IN. L.. "Star," and throws
some light on SamoanIaffairs:-
Sydney, Aug. 3lst.-A despatch
has just been received by the Gov
ernor from the Secretary of State
for the Colonies, which is supposed
to confirm the reason for the sudden
departure of the German feet from
Sydney, was for the purpose of an
nexing Samoa. The despatch, it is
understood, states that the Imperial
Conference approved of the propo-
sal to be considered at Washington
that one of the three powers-Eng-
land, Germany, or America-should
control native affairs in Samoa, and
there is strong reason for believing
that Germany has been chosen.